Student-Athletes Need Support: Congress Must Pass the SCORE Act

College sports loom large in Colorado, as student-athletes live out their dream of playing the sport they love at the collegiate level. I am among the student-athletes fortunate enough to train tirelessly day in and day out for my roster spot, which serves as my pathway to a world-class education at the University of Colorado. As a bonus, some student-athletes now earn money thanks to name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. What’s most invaluable about college sports, however, is how this iconic institution brings communities in our state together and helps student-athletes develop crucial life skills, such as teamwork and integrity.

Unfortunately, the entire college sports ecosystem is at risk of losing its identity and role in creating educational opportunities. Yes, student-athletes capitalizing financially on their NIL was long overdue, but this development is not without its challenges. Individual states have enacted their own NIL rules, resulting in an unfair advantage for student-athletes depending on where they go to school.

The current NIL dynamics especially harm student-athletes like me who compete in women’s and Olympic sports. Something needs to change with NIL to preserve some level of competitive parity in our sports. Otherwise, college sports will not serve as a pathway to higher education for the next generation, and the rivalries and traditions unique to college sports will become a distant memory.

As a leader on the Big 12’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, I’ve listened to student-athletes from sports throughout our conference express concerns about this situation. Luckily, bipartisan legislation in Congress, known as the SCORE Act, presents the stabilizing solution that Big 12 student-athletes and our fellow competitors across the country desperately need.

The SCORE Act establishes a nationwide standard for NIL rights, creating a level playing field that eliminates advantages based on state politics. With every athletic department following the same NIL rules, student-athletes will take other considerations into account when making their commitment. Factors such as academics, career development, coaching staff, team camaraderie and campus life take on increased importance for student-athletes, not just the financial implications of NIL. Uniform NIL rules give more schools, especially those with smaller athletics budgets, the opportunity to secure commitments from top recruits.

Addressing imbalances created by NIL is critical for protecting the future of women’s and Olympic sports, but the bill goes even further to ensure stability for student-athletes’ roster spots on these teams. It includes a provision that athletic departments must sponsor a minimum of sixteen varsity sports, a policy that recognizes the value of sports besides those that generate revenue. That matters when just a few college sports programs in the state make money.

The SCORE Act also settles once and for all that student-athletes are not university employees. Bad games happen, but I would never want to be fired by my coach for a poor performance, nor should coaches essentially be middle managers forced to cut ties with an underwhelming employee. Rejecting the student-athlete-employee model protects programs from bureaucratic workplace decisions, preserves the quality of our experience, and keeps college sports tied to academics.

Making these improvements to the college sports landscape can’t be done through court rulings or executive orders. Congress must embrace the power granted to it by American citizens and use the legislative process to save college sports through the SCORE Act. These are polarized political times we live in, but I ask our elected officials: Wouldn’t it be refreshing to take a break from the bitter battles and enact some much-needed change to a nonpolitical, cherished American tradition? The SCORE Act is that opportunity. Pass this bill to deliver a win for Colorado student-athletes who earn their chance to attend college, thanks to the role of sports in bringing friends, families and communities together as one. 

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